You are out running errands, and your phone chimes.
You pull it out and see a text: "We noticed a $499 charge on your Amazon account. If you did not make this purchase, reply STOP to cancel."
You haven't bought anything on Amazon all week.
Your first instinct is to text back immediately.
You just want to fix the problem and make the annoying messages go away.
The problem in human terms
It feels like the polite, logical thing to do.
We are conditioned to follow instructions to opt out of things we don't want.
But when it comes to scam messages, following the rules is exactly what gets you in trouble.
The plain-English translation
Scammers send out thousands of these texts to random, auto-generated phone numbers.
They do not know if your number is actually attached to a real, breathing human being…
Until you reply.
Replying to a weird text, even to say "STOP", is dangerous.
It simply confirms to the scammer that your phone number is real, active, and that you are paying attention.
That will only lead to more scam attempts.
3 Checks before you engage
Did you initiate this? If you didn't ask for a password reset or an account update, do not reply.
Is there a threat attached? "Reply STOP or your account will be locked." Real companies don't threaten you.
Are they asking for confirmation? Scammers want you to confirm your identity; don't give them the satisfaction.
The safest next step
Do not text back "STOP".
Do not text back "NO".
The absolute safest next step is to delete the message entirely.
If your phone gives you the option to "Report Junk" or "Block Number" when you delete it, tap that button.
If you are still worried the charge or message is real, do not text back.
Just log into your account directly, or call the number on the back of your credit card to be sure.
Talk soon,
Warren, Not Born Yesterday
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